Laborer Rams Into Ferraris Causing Rs 2.7 Cr Damage But This Act Of Kindness Saves Him

Nothing makes my day like a random act of kindness by complete strangers. In a world where instead of taking a man covered in blood and panic to hospital people start capturing it on their phone, seeing unrelated people extend a helping hand is much heartwarming. This extraordinary story of kindness and empathy has found us all the way from Taiwan.

Twenty-year-old Lin Chin-hsiang has been living a very hard life since the very beginning. Everyday, he works till 3 am to ensure that his family doesn't starve. But just when he thought things couldn't get worse they did. He found himself liable to pay for damage worth Rs 2.73 crore, and given his current salary it would take 28 years of living on the edge to be able to pay the sum.

But that's not how his story ended. Alert: Happy tears ahead.

Sadder than the saddest story

Representational photo

A couple of years back, Lin's father passed away struggling with an illness. Their home in New Taipei City is nothing but a shack of tin sheets that also doubles up as a shop where his mother sells incense sticks and gold paper money (burned during worship). After his father's death things worsened and young Lin had to painfully drop out of middle school to help his mom with the shop. He has an older brother who is working and a sister in high school to join him in the everyday struggle to make ends meet. He works night shift at a barbecue restaurant and finishes just before sunrise.

A couple of days back, Lin reached home after working till 3 am to find that his mother was unwell. She looked weak and couldn't go out to deliver an order at a nearby temple. Despite being tired and sleepy Lin decided to deliver the package for her mom in his Mitsubishi just in time for an early morning ceremony.

Bam! struck an expensive tragedy

While on his way back home at around 5.30 am, tired and underslept Lin dozed off behind the wheels for a moment and his car bumped into four Ferraris. The high-end cars were parked on the road for an early morning drive. The owners were standing nearby and nobody was hurt. But the cars suffered serious gashes and dents.

"I thought: 'Oh no, I've gotten myself into a big mess.' I was really worried about bringing trouble to my mother and having to pay so much money." Lin told the BBC.

I wanted to help her, but made things worse. - Lin

The car dealers and repair shop owners estimated damage worth Rs 2.73 crore (12 million Taiwan dollars) to the Ferraris. There was no way Lin could dream of paying such mammoth bills but luckily he was up for a pleasant surprise. As the news hit Taiwan, people from all strata of the society came forward to help him. The growing disparity between the rich and poor has been troubling Taiwan for a few decades now. The poor are working harder and harder struggling for a decent survival and Lin's debacle struck a chord with the entire nation. Help started pouring in.

Love and support from all over the country

As per a BBC report, dozens of people approached the local police station where the accident occurred and offered to donate money to help pay Lin's repair bill or his legal fees. Some of them even turned up at the family's shop.

"I'm really grateful to everyone who has offered to help and who has come here to encourage me. Some people even drove up from central Taiwan and asked me where they can donate money. Some spent a long time looking for our shop, some are not in good situation, but they still gave money," he said, sounding overwhelmed by what has happened.

"Some people gave 5,000 ($160) or 10,000. They just said 'In the future, you just have to help society.'"

Another good news

More than 100 donations have been made - the smallest equal to about $4 and the largest almost $6,500. In total 740,000 Taiwan dollars ($24,000) have already been raised.

The college Lin dropped out of has meanwhile invited him to return. He was in his last year of middle school when his father died.

Lin says the Ferrari owners have been kind and have not insisted he pay the bill all at once. They have instead suggested he could start eventually paying in instalments while they consult their insurance companies on how much the policies will cover.

"I'm really sorry to have hit their cars, really sorry. It wasn't intentional… Even though it will take a long time, I committed a wrong. I should still pay for it."

Once in a while it is reassuring to know that kindness exists. Everyone worries for their friends and family but if we spare some emotions for others there is a good chance that the world will become better and who knows, someday it will come back to you and pleasantly surprise you.

Pass on this #goodvibes story and share this powerful thought which requires all of us to participate.